“My Sons Will Carry It Forward,” My Father Toasted at His Retirement — Then He Laughed and Said I ‘Never Had What It Takes,’ and That Was the Exact Moment I Walked Out and Built the Company That Replaced His

People began to notice.

Meanwhile, Keane Industrial struggled.

Without the systems I’d built and maintained, delays multiplied, costs ballooned, and internal disputes between my brothers slowed decisions to a crawl, and when an audit uncovered misreported figures tied to contracts Victor had rushed through without oversight, the press coverage was swift and unforgiving.

I watched from a distance as board members resigned, investors pulled back, and my father gave a tight-lipped interview insisting everything was under control, his voice steady while the foundation cracked beneath him.

A year after his retirement party, Robert Keane called me for the first time.

“Evelyn,” he said, his tone unfamiliar without an audience,
“we need to talk.”

Continue reading…